Article transporting/storing device

ABSTRACT

An article transporting/storing device of the present invention includes a table to be loaded with a desired article. A pair of post units are spaced from each other, and each include two posts connected together. A pair of unit supporting devices respectively support the two post units on the table such that the post units are selectively locked in a position in which they stand substantially vertically on the table or unlocked and allowed to be angularly moved toward the mount surface of the table between the post units.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an article transporting/storing deviceof the type including a table to be loaded with a desired article and aplurality of posts mounted on the table.

2. Description of the Background Art

An article transporting/storing device of the type described andconfigured to transport or store various kinds of articles, includingelectric appliances and other industrial products, various parts,building materials and other materials, furniture and natural matters,is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-315777 byway of example. To transport or store a desired article, after thearticle has been loaded on a table, a plurality of posts are mounted tothe table around the article. Subsequently, the article is transportedor stored together with the carrying/conveying device. On the otherhand, after the article has been transported from one place to anotherplace and then unloaded from the table, the posts are dismounted fromthe table and then folded up in a compact configuration, so that thetransporting/storing device can be returned to the original place. Thisis also true when the transporting/storing device is stored when notused.

The problem with the conventional article transporting/storing devicedescribed above is that the plurality of posts must be repeatedlymounted and dismounted from the table, resulting in troublesome,inefficient work.

Technologies relating to the present invention are also disclosed in,e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-151234 and JapaneseUtility Model Publication Nos. 2,595,500 and 3,012,140.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an articletransporting/storing device capable of solving the problem stated above.

An article transporting/storing device of the present invention includesa table to be loaded with a desired article. A pair of post units arespaced from each other, and each include two posts connected together. Apair of unit supporting devices respectively support the two post unitson the table such that the post units are selectively locked in aposition in which they stand substantially vertically on the table orunlocked and allowed to be angularly moved toward the mount surface ofthe table between the post units.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription taken with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing an article transporting/storingdevice embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary isometric view showing one of a pairof post units included in the illustrative embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing a specific condition wherein onepost unit has begun to be angularly moved;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing a single article loaded on a tableincluded in the illustrative embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view showing two articles loaded on the table;

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a plurality of articletransporting/storing devices stacked together with their post unitsbeing folded up;

FIG. 7 is a partly sectional front view showing a plurality of articletransporting/storing devices stacked together with their post unitsbeing held in an upright position;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section showing a portion of FIG. 7 indicated byan arrow VIII;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view showing a modification of the illustrativeembodiment including casters; and

FIG. 10 is a front view showing aplurality of articletransporting/storing devices each including the casters and stackedtogether.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, an article transporting/storingdevice embodying the present invention is shown and generally designatedby the reference numeral 1. As shown, the article transporting/storingdevice 1 is generally made up of a table 2 to be loaded with a desiredarticle or articles, a pair of post units 3 and 3A mounted on the table2 face to face, and unit supporting means 4 and 4B for respectivelysupporting the post units 3 and 3A on the table 2. Legs 5 and 5Aprotrude downward from the table 2 to be put on, e.g., a floor, andextend horizontally in parallel to each other.

The two post units 3 and 3A and the two unit supporting means 4 and 4Aeach are identical in configuration except that they are arrangedsymmetrically to each other. The following description will thereforeconcentrate on the support unit 3 and unit supporting means 4 by way ofexample. The structural elements of the other support unit 3A and unitsupporting means 4A are simply distinguished from the structuralelements of the support unit 3 and unit supporting means 4 by suffice A.

The post unit 3 includes two posts 6 and 106 spaced from each other, butconnected to each other, and implemented by hollow pipes. Morespecifically, in the illustrative embodiment, the posts 6 and 106 areconnected together by a back plate 7 and a movable frame 8. The backplate 7 is fastened, welded or otherwise affixed to the posts 6 and 10.Opposite ends of the movable frame 8 are configured generally in theform of inverted letter “U” and respectively inserted in the posts orpipes 6 and 106 via the top openings. In this condition, the movableframe 8 may be slid downward to reduce the height of the post unit 3, asshown in FIG. 3, or slid upward to increase the height of the post unit3, as shown in FIG. 1, as desired.

The movable frame 8 is formed with through holes 9 and 109 and throughholes, not shown, positioned below the through holes 9 and 109. Afterthe through holes 9 and 109 or the other through holes of the movableframe 8 have been aligned with through holes formed in the posts 6 and106, pins 10 and 110 are inserted into the through holes thus aligned tothereby affix the movable frame 8 to the posts 6 and 106. Stop pins 10and 110 are removably inserted in the pins 10 and 110, respectively. Theheight of the post unit 3 can be adjusted by pulling out the stop pins11 and 111 from the pins 10 and 110, respectively, then pulling out thepins 10 and 110 from the through holes, and then sliding the movablefrom 8 upward or downward. Strings 12 and 112 are respectively affixedat opposite ends thereof to opposite ends of the pins 10 and 110 andstop pins 11 and 111, preventing the pins 10 and 110 and stop pins 11and 111 from being lost.

The unit supporting means 4 selectively locks the posts 6 and 106 of thepost unit 3 in a position standing substantially vertically on the table2, as shown in FIG. 1, or unlocks and allows the post unit 3 to beangularly moved toward the mount surface 13 of the table 2 between thepost units 3 and 103 in a direction indicated by an arrow P. Morespecifically, the unit supporting means 4 includes a pair of brackets 14and 114 affixed to the table 2. The posts 6 and 106 are respectivelysupported by the brackets 14 and 114 via pins 15 and 115 in such amanner as to be angularly movable about the pins 15 and 115. The pins 15and 115 extend throughout the brackets 14 and 114 and the lower endportions of the posts 6 and 106, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2 in detail, the unit supporting means 4 includes amovable rod 17 extending throughout slots 16 and 116 formed in thebrackets 14 and 114, respectively. The slots 16 and 116 are elongate inthe up-and-down direction, so that the movable rod 17 is movable upwardor downward along the slots 16 and 116. The brackets 14 and 114 may beconnected to each other to constitute a single bracket, if desired.

A tension spring 19, which is a specific form of a biasing member, isanchored to each of the support pins 15 and 115 and movable rod 17although the tension spring 19 assigned to the bracket 114 is notvisible. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, such tension springs 19 constantlypull the movable rod 17 upward to the uppermost position where the rod17 contacts the upper ends of the slots 16 and 116. In this condition,the rod 17 is positioned below the pins 15 and 115, but above the lowerends of the posts 6 and 106, and contact the surface portions of theposts 6 and 106 opposite to the surface portions facing the other postunit 3A, FIG. 1. The rod 17 therefore prevents the post unit 3 frombeing moved in the direction P, i.e., maintains the posts 6 and 106standing substantially vertically on the mount surface 13 of the table2.

Further, stops 24 and 124, implemented by pins, are studded on thebrackets 14 and 114 at a level lower than the pins 15 and 115, buthigher than the lower ends of the posts 6 and 106. The stops 24 and 124contact the surface portions of the posts 6 and 106 facing the otherpost unit 3A. The stops 24 and 124 therefore also prevent the posts 6and 106 from being moved in the direction P.

As shown in FIG. 4 or 5, an article 20 or articles 20A and 20B,respectively, are loaded on the mount surface 13 of the table 2 with thesupports 6 and 106 and supports 6A and 106A standing upright on thetable 2. The article 20 or the articles 20A and 20B can then be carriedor stored together with the transporting/storing device 1.

Assume that a person unloads the article from the table 2 and thenlowers the movable rod 17 against the action of the tension spring 19by, e.g., stepping on the rod 17. Then, the rod 17 is moved below thelower ends of the posts 6 and 106 to thereby release the posts 6 and106. Subsequently, the person may lower the frame 8 to the positionshown in FIG. 3 and then push the post unit 3 toward the mount surface13 in the direction P. This causes the posts 6 and 106 to angularly moveabout the pins 15 and 115, respectively, in the direction p with theresult that the post unit 3 is folded up.

The other post unit 3A, like the post unit 3, can be angularly moved ina direction indicated by an arrow PA. FIG. 3 shows a condition whereinthe post unit 3A has begun to be folded downward in the direction PA.FIG. 6 shows the post units 3 and 3A in a fully folded position.

As stated above, the post units 3 and 3A can be folded up when thetransporting/storing device 1 is stored or when it is returned to theoriginal place after the article has been unloaded from the table 2 at adestination. Therefore, not only the transporting/storing device 1 iscompact, but also the posts 6 and 106 do not have to be removed from thetable 2. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality oftransporting/storing devices 1 through 1F can be stacked one upon theother.

When the posts 3 and 3A are unfolded to the position shown in FIG. 1,the rods 17 and 17A and stops 24, 124, 24A and 124A again lock the posts3 and 3A in the upright position.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a groove 25 is formed in the table 2 suchthat when the posts 3 and 3A are folded up, part of the post 3A (or partof the post 3) is received in the groove 25, as indicated by letter X inFIG. 6. The groove 25 may be configured to receive both of part of thepost unit 3 and part of the post unit 3A, if desired. This configurationsuccessfully reduces the height of the post units 3 and 3A when they arefolded up. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, when a plurality oftransporting/storing devices 1 and 1A are stacked one upon the other,the posts 3 and 3A of the lower device 1 are prevented from interferingwith the table 2 of the upper device 1A.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the unit supporting means 4 and 4A arerespectively positioned closer to the center of the table 2 than theopposite edges 26 and 26A of the table 2 by a distance Y, so thatsurfaces 27 and 27A are available on the table 2 between the unitsupporting means 4 and 4A and the edges 26 and 26A, respectively. Inaddition, the legs 5 and 5A extend along the edges 26 and 26A,respectively. When the transporting/storing device 1A, FIG. 6, isstacked on the transporting/storing device 1 whose post units 3 and 3Ahave been folded up onto the table 2, the legs 5 and 5A, FIG. 6, of theupper device 1A rest on the above surfaces 27 and 27A, respectively, asshown in FIG. 6. Therefore, a plurality of transporting/storing devicescan be surely, stably stacked one upon the other.

In the illustrative embodiment, at least one of the back plates 7 and 7Ais provided with a belt for retaining the article loaded on the table 2.FIG. 1 shows a belt 21A attached to the back plate 7A although it is notshown in FIG. 3. The belt 21A is passed through a pair of holes 22Aformed in the back plate 7A and has its opposite ends connected by anadjuster 23A to form a loop. By adjusting the adjuster 23A, it ispossible to adjust the loop length of the belt 21A. As shown in FIG. 5,a belt 21 may, of course, be passed through a pair of holes 22 formed inthe back plate 7 and provided with an adjuster 23.

In FIG. 4, a single article 20, which is a copier, is loaded on thetransporting/storing device 2 and fastened by the belt 21A provided withthe adjuster 23A. In FIG. 5, the articles 20A and 20B, which arerespectively a printer body and a sheet feed table, are loaded on thetransporting/storing device 2 and respectively fastened by the belts 21and 21A. Because the belts 21 and 21A should only be passed through theholes 22 and 22A of the back plates 7 and 7A, respectively, the formercan be easily attached to or detached from the latter.

The post units 3 and 3A respectively have two posts 6 and 106 and 6A and106A connected together and respectively have the movable frames 8 and8A movable in the up-and-down direction, as stated earlier. The frames 8and 8A can therefore be raised to raise the post units 3 and 3A,respectively, when the relatively tall article 20 is to be carried orstored, as shown in FIG. 4, or can be lowered to lower the post units 3and 3A when the relatively short articles 20A and 20B are to be carriedor stored, as shown in FIG. 5. By lowering the post units 3 and 3A, itis possible to transport or store a plurality of transporting/storingdevices in a stack.

As shown in FIG. 1, a top plate 28 may be set on the tops of the postunits 3 and 3A, i.e., the tops of the movable frames 8 and 8A in theillustrative embodiment when the posts 6 and 106 and 6A and 106A areheld in substantially the vertical position. In this case, anothertransporting/storing device 1A can be stacked on the top plate 28 of thetransporting/storing device 1. At this instant, the top portions of thepost units 3 and 3A should preferably be bent away from each other suchthat the legs 5 and 5A of the upper transporting/storing device 1A arepositioned right above the movable frames 8 and 8A of the lowertransporting/storing device 1 via the top plate 28. In thisconfiguration, the frames 8 and 8A bear the load of the uppertransporting/storing device 1A, so that a plurality oftransporting/storing devices can be stably stacked together.

As shown in FIG. 8, which shows a portion of FIG. 7 indicated by anarrow VIII in an enlarged scale, the top plate 28 includes an engagingportion 29 with which the top portion of the post unit 3 (or 3A), i.e.,the top portion of the frame 8 (or 8A) is engaged. Such engagingportions 29 allow the top plate 28 to be stably mounted on the postunits 3 and 3A without any play.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, casters 30 may be rollably mounted on thebottom of the table 2 so as to allow the transporting/storing device 1to be easily moved. FIG. 10 shows the stack of the transporting/storingdevices 1 and 1A each being provided with the casters 30.

In summary, it will be seen that the present invention provides anarticle transporting/storing device having post units that can be easilyraised in the event of use or lowered in the event of transport orstorage.

Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the artafter receiving the teachings of the present disclosure withoutdeparting from the scope thereof.

1. An article transporting/storing device comprising: a table to be loaded with an article; a pair of post units spaced from each other and each comprising two posts connected together; and unit supporting means supporting said pair of post units on said table such that said pair of post units are selectively locked in a position in which said posts each stand substantially vertically on said table or unlocked and allowed to be angularly moved toward a mount surface of said table between said pair of post units. 2-30. (canceled) 